Bush Plans To Sell Parts Of National Forests

"It's doubtful the U.S. Forest Service has ever considered the Bush administration an ally. The White House's budget called for $234 million in cuts to the USFS last year and $150 million in cuts this year. In 2005, Bush also repealed a Clinton-era rule that protected 58 million acres of national forest from logging and mining.

So Bush and forests: not so much old friends. And it doesn't look like they'll be getting chummier any time soon. Buried in the fiscal year 2007 budget is a proposal to sell off more than 300,000 acres of national forest land, including 973 acres in the Ocala National Forest. Bush says the plan is important to help out rural schools. Critics say the administration is selling national treasures."